


Confidant

by Mosscherub



Category: Danny Phantom
Genre: Angst, Emotional Hurt/Comfort, Graphic descriptions of gore, Implied/Referenced Character Death, Kind of heavy sometimes ngl, M/M
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-04
Updated: 2021-02-01
Packaged: 2021-03-10 04:22:10
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Major Character Death
Chapters: 3
Words: 9,542
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/27778321
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Mosscherub/pseuds/Mosscherub
Summary: “What would you give to undo what’s been done?”“Anything, anything at all. My money, my power, my life for Danny, if you so asked of it. I would do anything in the world to make it up to that boy, to save him from what I and all others have done to him. My deepest regret is that I hadn’t realized this sooner.”“Your life you say?”In which Vlad goes back in time to prevent Danny from ever becoming Dan, and falls in love with him in the process.
Relationships: Danny Fenton/Vlad Masters
Comments: 55
Kudos: 88
Collections: Pompous Pep Discord - Our Fanfics





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> I’m so excited to finally be posting this fic, once winter break comes I should hopefully be able to update it semi consistently :’) comments and kudos would be very appreciated to keep me going. Please enjoy!!

A wild flash of light, the monstrous cacophony of everything falling apart around him as a result, and then nothing. Nothing but the unnatural silence that settled over the clearing where his house had once been.

And then, pain.

Pain like nothing Vlad had ever felt before, searing beneath his skin. His nerves raw with the sheer wrongness he felt, as unbalanced and unconditioned as the day he was born. Stumbling out of the debris on shaky newborn legs and squinting through strained eyes at the scene before him. Taking in the way the ghost had laid waste to everything in his path, destroyed everything he'd ever known. And then, after a moment--

"Daniel?!" Vlad called out as he forced himself to stand, the ringing of his ears overpowered only by the beating of his heart, rapidly picking up pace as he felt his stomach drop in dread. Ignoring the burning sensation lighting up beneath his muscles as he flung himself at the nearest mountain of rubble, frantically removing boulder after boulder after rock after rock and throwing them to the side, aided only by adrenaline and the horrendous, all consuming fear of what he would find. "Little Badger?!"

 _Please, please let him be okay. After everything he's been through, everything_ **_we've_ ** _been through, please let him be okay. Please don't let it have been for nothing._

Yelling out in frustration as more and more concrete was pulled away to reveal nothing and Vlad could feel himself getting desperate. Who knows how long Danny could have been lying somewhere, bleeding out for all he knew? Who knows how much time he really had left, feeling the air around him beginning to chill and seeing the last remnants of sunlight in the sky beginning to fade away with the evening.

He doesn't let himself think about the fact that he would've been more than able to detect a sign of life from Danny by now.

Doesn't let himself think about anything really, anything other than finding that beautiful, reckless, _stupid_ boy and fixing him up, taking him far away from this place. Hiding him away from ghosts and harm and anything else that would ever bring trouble to their lives ever again. They'd run away together, he thinks, sitting back on his hands and catching his breath after hours of searching, damning himself for getting such an obnoxiously, _pompously_ large estate for himself and the only person that'd ever mattered to him. Refusing to acknowledge the ache in his hands, or the way his eyes stung with tears that knew well before he did what he was expecting to find now.

They'd run away together, he told himself resolutely. Some place far, but familiar, the country maybe, where Vlad and Danny could tend to a garden, take care of a couple of cows and other livestock, maybe even get that dog the boy had always wanted. Where neither of them would ever have to worry about feeling that lonely ever again.

Danny would be safe there, they could be happy there. Danny would be--

 _  
Would_ be. _Would_ have been.

Danny _would_ have been, if not for the pale hand he could now see, sticking out from underneath the latest pile of concrete and metal he'd been surveying.

Danny _could_ have been, if he wasn't in Vlad's arms now, devoid of life and looking the worst the elder had ever seen him. Shaking not of his own volition, but as a result of Vlad's shuddering as he pulled the younger closer to him, as the dam began to break and he could feel the overwhelming sense of grief pouring down his cheeks in waves. His throat swelling in the effort to contain his cries, to not disrupt the eerie sense of quiet that had fallen around them. In an effort to at least give Danny this, this final moment of peace that the younger had spent his whole life chasing after. Peace that Danny should have had long before this.

_Should have._

_Should have been._

Danny _should_ have been happy, Danny should have been safe. After all the efforts the boy made, all of the good he had done, Danny deserved it, deserved safety, not this. Not to die in the arms of a man who'd done nothing but hurt him all of his life. Not to die having never achieved his dream of becoming an astronaut, having never gotten the chance to say goodbye to his family, or his friends. Not to end up alone, or even worse, with _Vlad_.

For the first time in months, Vlad felt anger. The same familiar, all encompassing anger that had plagued him all of his adult life. And for the first time in years, it was anger on behalf of someone else, selfless, righteous anger.

How could the world be so cruel, so genuinely unforgiving? To send Daniel James Fenton to the steps of death's door at the age of 14 and thrust this level of responsibility upon him. To have him so unbiasedly defend each and every single individual he came across from harm's way. It felt as though the world itself had taken advantage of Danny, of his kindness, and the thought filled Vlad with irreparable anger. 

"I'm so sorry Danny.." Vlad finally allowed himself to say, and unable to say much else than that. He was so devastatingly, unbelievably sorry for the boy that laid before him now, for what this child had gone through. He was so sorry for the part he had to play in it, in adding to the list of nonsense that this boy had had to experience in his short lifetime.

There's not much else Vlad can do now but sit and repent in silence, so that's what he decides should be done, and so he sits there. Allowing himself to sit back and reflect on all that was and now would never be.

And for the first time in his life, Vlad realizes that he's called the boy Danny.

If the pain from earlier was bad before, it was nothing compared to this.  
  


xXxXx

  
Vlad tried, he really, _really_ , tried to move on. To go back to living his life while it could still be lived. He owed it to Danny to at the very least try.

He immerses himself in projects, puts all of his efforts into doing all that he can to make Amity Park a place Danny would have been proud of. Puts as much time, effort, and money he can into improving the education system, into building up their community,

It's still not enough.

Pours his heart and soul into his businesses, does everything he can to make them environmentally friendly, energy efficient, and even just moral for god's sake. Puts all of his funds into helping others, donating to charity.

Funding for Nasa space programs to remain in place.

And every evening, Vlad goes home to what's now a modest, two story home in Amity Park, nothing like the esteemed Polter Heights mansion he used to reside in. No longer interested in splurging an ounce of his wealth upon himself, more interested in seeing every last cent go somewhere it was needed, somewhere it was _wanted_.

Vlad had no interest in investing in himself anymore.

The first few months had been spent doing everything in his power to undo the events of that day, more than aware of Clockwork's possible means of assistance in the ghost zone. Problem was, Vlad had no ability to reach him, given that his ghost half was no longer in his possession and the portal had been destroyed in the incident all of those months ago. This did nothing to stop him however, as he spent weeks combing through all the books he could get his hands on in Amity Park’s extensive library.

The five stages of grief his colleagues called it, what they considered to be his inability to let go, his refusal to give up hope that someway, somehow, he had the ability to change what had happened that day, to _prevent_ it even.

If only they knew how wrong they were, how true that statement was, and just how much it truly was in Vlad's power to make that happen.

And if only he knew how to do so.

He'd been trying endlessly to figure out how, how what was now a completely human man was supposed to get in contact with what was essentially a God? Apparently Danny had been in contact with the elusive ghost more times than Vlad could care to remember, and often in times of dire distress, so what more was the elder waiting for?!

It'd be one thing if it was just a matter of his own suffering, Vlad was more than accustomed to his prayers going unanswered in that regard. But this seemed to be a lot more serious than his inability to move on from what happened. 

Little by little word sprung up about a sadistic ghost wreaking havoc on neighboring cities and towns just outside of Amity Park, and Vlad was becoming more than aware that time was running out, and fast. He may not have been able to figure out how to contact Clockwork, but he'd been more than able to recognize the serious repercussions of what had happened in the lab that day. And if what he'd been suspecting from the latest news broadcasts he'd been privy to turned out to be _true,_ well then, those repercussions would be back to bite him in the ass way sooner than Vlad expected.

What he ended up seeing on television that night only solidified that fear.

It'd been another day of endless work trying to atone for the sins he knew would never leave him when he finally found his way back into his measly two story apartment. Groaning as he forced the front door shut behind him, he sighed as he made his way up the creaking stairs to his apartment. 

_Another day, and not a single step closer to fixing this mess._

Finally settling down on the couch and throwing his head back with a sigh, the man dragged his fingers through his hair before finally pulling the band at the base of his skull loose, feeling the tension leave his body along with his breath. "I don't know how much longer I can go on like this.." he murmured to himself, "It's like I can feel myself getting older, I'm finally becoming that old man Danny liked to call me so often." he snorted mirthlessly.

Deciding he'd had enough of monologuing to himself like the villain he used to be, Vlad stretched over and grabbed the remote before switching the tv on to the news.

And felt his heart stop dead in his chest at the scene playing out on the screen.

"-- _destruction in a neighboring Amityville town today as we're finally able to put a face to the specter that's been tormenting the city. The following is a recording taken on a cellphone at the scene_."

Vlad's eyes widened in horror as he took in the sight on the screen before him, watching as a ghost dressed in black and white laid waste to the city beneath his feet, consuming the surrounding areas in white hot fire and sending down ectoplasmic beams in their wake. Vlad could barely even process the way the camera man's hands shook as it zoomed in on the features of the elusive ghost that had been evading the law for weeks now. And, seeing the other ghost up close, he swallowed the lump in his throat at the familiarity of his _everything._

The bluish-green tint of his skin, inhuman and sickly in comparison to what had once been a tan, lively complexion. _Ironic really, considering the circumstances._ The all too familiar wrath in the man's unearthly red eyes as he looked down upon the scene beneath him with what could only be described as disgust, his anger palpable even through the filter of a phone screen.

Hypnotic, endlessly flowing hair catching in the light of the city burning to dust around him, rivaled only by the bright glint of light reflecting off of the overwhelming set of fangs the massive ghost sported. Every last inch of the specter was massive, unforgiving, and an abjectly horrifying reminder of what he had _done_ to Danny.

He’d been so distracted by the ghost’s _everything_ that he hadn’t even realized the camera man had been thrown off to the side, startled to see that he’d gotten up close and personal.

“It’s going to be a _lot_ worse than this when I finally work my way over there, Amity Park! I’ve been waiting a long, _long_ time for this. You’ve more than had it coming.” he snarled. “It’s about time you’ve paid your dues.” 

“Oh, and don’t think I’ve forgotten. I’m coming for you, Vlad Masters.” 

The same, spine chilling laugh left the villain’s throat before the video finally ended.

Vlad found his ears ringing, as loud and as vibrant as they had been that day, that day that felt as though it were so many years ago now. This was it, the voice of the ghost that'd been tormenting civilians and wreaking havoc for the last few weeks. The voice of someone he'd known for years, but different somehow, sadder, more pained than he'd ever imagined it, and yet,

" _I'm coming for you, Vlad Masters_."

Throwing himself from the couch, Vlad threw on his coat before making his way out the door, the utter devastation of the situation finally hitting him as he got into his car, hands shaking as he forced the key into the ignition and slammed down on the breaks.

 _This couldn't be happening, there was no way this was what would become of Danny, that this is what he'd_ **_done_ ** _to Danny._

Shaking his head in disbelief, Vlad felt the familiar sensation of tears running down his face as he drove down a road he'd been down hundreds if not thousands of times before. A drive that had once been routine, failure after failure, heading back to what was once his cold empty castle in the middle of nowhere to grovel in what he now understood to be self pity.

 _There has to be something I can do. There has to be some way to fix this. There_ **_has_ **to be.

Ignoring the anxious jittery motions of his limbs, Vlad stepped out of the car and into an all too familiar place that haunted his every waking thought, every minute of the day rearing back to this moment, this single place in time where he'd lost everything. Overwhelmed, he sunk to his knees, releasing months of frustration as he curled in on himself and finally allowed himself to grieve fully.

Where Danny had _died_ , under his care and under his misguided, _foolish_ attempts to fix him. Where Vlad had learned that even after everything, he was still human. Where the world had taken and hurt and abused them at every turn and went on like nothing ever happened. Like _Danny_ never happened.

Where Vlad came to shed more tears than he would ever admit to anyone.

And here he was again, self pitiful as always in a place that'd never welcomed him, in a _world_ that'd never welcomed him.

And where, for the first time in months, maybe even for the first time in years, Vlad felt the gentle touch of another person as a hand ran through the silver coils veiling his anguished face, unable to contain the breath of utter relief that rushed out of him at the contact.

Sorrowful blue eyes trailing up, taking in the otherworldly blue glow in front of him before settling on a pair of red eyes in the midst of an ever changing face, shifting from youth to age with an unsettling grace that only served to comfort Vlad in that moment.

And finally, the being before him spoke the only words that could ever lift the burden off of Vlad's shoulders.

“I was wondering when you’d be back, Vlad Masters.”


	2. Before

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A little look into what life was like for the two of them before things are set into motion.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry for taking so long!! The tail end of finals and some personal stuff really kicked my ass, but I think I made out pretty okay!! This is another pretty heavy chapter, but hopefully the next gets into the swing of things and a bit more lighthearted, (or maybe not, you never know lol). In the meantime please take this!! I hope you all enjoy :')

After years of plots and schemes, endless negotiations and bribery, Daniel James Fenton was finally under the care of the esteemed Vlad Masters.

Just not in the way either of them could have ever anticipated.

The ride over to Vlad's mansion had been tense, the older having no idea what he could even begin to say to the boy sitting to the side of him, watching as his head hung between his shoulders, eyes dull as he looked down at his shoes, completely silent.

Vlad felt a lump settle in his throat as he was once again hit by the reality of their situation,

Daniel was to remain in his care for the remainder of their days together; of which there would be many, at least if his apparently stunted age was anything to go by. The boy had lost everything following the events of the past few days. His family and friends, even his teacher, quite possibly one of the only adults who ever truly expressed that they'd given a damn about Daniel. Though he couldn't blame him in the slightest for having this kind of response to the situation thus far,

It'd been a long time since he'd seen the boy in such a state.

Broken down and humiliated sure, beaten down to the point of unconsciousness even. But never defeated, and never anything like this.

The following days were met with silence, catching glimpses of the boy here and there as he went about his business in a way that gave Daniel his space, having more than enough of it to give in such a massive mansion. However, as days turned to weeks, and weeks started approaching the month long mark, Vlad decided that he needed to make some kind of effort to interact with the boy.

Soon after, he started arranging for the two of them to share mealtimes with one another.

Sitting across from Daniel at his dining room table and seeing the state he was in only served to strengthen Vlad's concern. Curled in on himself, looking small as they sat seated across from one another. Taking in the wilt of the boy's frame as he looked down at his plate with indifference, seemingly too tired to even sit up right. Though emotionally or physically Vlad couldn't be sure.

Maybe both even.

"Daniel..."

Danny's eyes shot up in acknowledgment and Vlad felt his heart jump in his throat as he took in how exhausted the other looked, dark circles maring the skin beneath the other's eyes. Feeling concern building beneath his skin, he allowed himself a sharp exhale before continuing, knowing at least one of them had to keep it together.

"Are you doing alright Daniel?", no response there, but Vlad didn't miss the almost inaudible snort that left the younger at the question, sighing at the accompanying wave of self deprecation. _Well, that answers that question, alright then, well..._

"Are...are you interested in going back to school perhaps? Sitting around doing nothing all day can't be good for you little badg--"

“That’s the first time you’ve said anything to me in months.” the younger interrupted quietly. Vlad startled at the sound of the other’s voice, unusually soft spoken compared to the Danny he’d grown accustomed to. “Well, the same could be said for you, Daniel.” he replied, chest tight.

“Well…things haven’t necessarily been _ideal_ now have they, Vladdie.” Danny bit back before continuing,

"And it is not, " _sitting around doing nothing_ " Vlad." the younger said, agitated. Though the other man couldn't help but be offended, both by having been interrupted and so rudely so, he couldn't help the relief that came with being on speaking terms with Daniel again, rudeness be damned. "And no, no I don't think I can handle going back to school yet." Danny spoke again, biting his lip in distress.

“It’s just.. it’s hard.” He admitted finally, to Vlad or himself, he wasn’t sure. “I don’t know if I’ll.. ever…” he trailed off. Be okay, Vlad thinks, somehow knowing exactly how the other felt. Be ready, or even if he’d ever be happy again, himself again. Vlad knew firsthand that loss cut deep and devoured people in a sea of grief. Washed away every sense of self.

“You will.” Vlad promised with certainty, being sure to make eye contact with the boy as he lifted his head to look at him. “It will take time, but you will.”

Though there wasn’t a single part of Danny that believed those words for an instant, still, he found himself nodding in accession before looking back down at his plate, finally deciding he’d had enough of tormenting his food.

xXxXx

Things felt a little less tense after their talk, but Vlad was more than aware that some vague semblance of a heart to heart wasn’t enough to fix things, far from it.

It’d now been a few months since the accident, and while he’d catch glimpses of Daniel more and more often, sitting outside, roaming the halls, and sharing meals together, the boy still had that same lifeless way about him that told Vlad their work was far from done.

_Now if only I knew how to go about it.._ he sighed, sitting in front of a desk full of paperwork. Just because Danny’s life had come to a halt didn’t mean the rest of the world had stopped spinning, the loads of meetings and paperwork the older still had to put up with could attest to that. Tidying up the latest stack of documents before sitting back in his seat, Vlad’s hand came up to rub the tension out of the bridge of his nose, aching eyes closed in concentration. _Maybe I’ll finally give this mayor thing a rest,_ he thought tiredly, _could be good to have more free time now that…_

Rising from his office chair with a huff, he shut off the lights before making his way down the hall, wondering where last he’d seen the boy since this morning. Glancing at his watch told him it was well into the evening by now, dinner would likely be ready soon. _Now where could he have run off to?_ Vlad roamed the hallways in search of Danny for some time before heading to his living room, figuring that if the boy wanted to be found he would make himself known.

Settling down into his favorite recliner, Vlad felt his eyes begin to drift shut as he dozed off, the day’s work slowly but surely catching up to him. Too exhausted to notice another person coming into the room and settling down on the couch across from him, eyes roaming the older man as he slept.

Danny curled up on the couch quietly, feeling guilty as he took in the dark circles underneath the other’s eyes. A familiar feeling lately, guilt. Guilty about not being able to protect his parents, his friends. Guilty about failing to do his duty, failing to be the hero he was supposed to be.

What kind of hero sits around all day, barely able to get out of _bed_ , much less function? What kind of hero weighed 100lbs soaking wet, too stupid and miserable and _weak_ to get up and eat a proper meal? What kind of hero _failed_ to save the day!?

And now here he was, feeling guilty about _Vlad Plasmius_ of all people..

His ghost half truly had caused more trouble than it was worth huh?

_What good are ghost powers if you can’t even use them to protect the ones you love?_ He thought angrily, arms wrapping even tighter around himself. _What’s the point? I’ll always find some way to fuck up as Phantom, at least Danny Fenton doesn’t have to risk disappointing anybody, nobody expects anything from him in the first place._ And there wasn’t exactly anybody left to be disappointed in him _now_ , was there?

Danny felt self loathing buildup in his chest, wishing beyond hope that he hadn’t stepped into the portal that day. That he hadn’t cared, that he didn’t try. That he’d just given up, when the injuries got too intense and the losses became too great and he couldn’t quite distinguish the line between Phantom and Fenton anymore. He felt tears burning behind his lids as he shut them tightly, trying to block the world out as it fell apart around him.

Too caught up in the storm of grief to realize the other man had risen from the recliner until Vlad placed a hand on his head and his shoulders jumped at the contact.

“There you are…” Vlad hummed gently, smart enough to recognize something was wrong. Danny only curled in on himself tighter, head pounding. Something about the gentle timber of Vlad’s voice in that moment almost made him feel worse, angry, confused, _hopeful_ in a way he couldn’t stand. At his silence the man just stood there, not wanting to push before removing his hand with a sigh, settling down to sit next to the boy.

“When I was your age, my mother had finally succumbed to her illness, and I was left alone with my father,” Vlad said into the open room, not necessarily speaking to Danny, but aware that the boy would be listening. “And that man couldn’t comfort another person for a million dollars, much less while juggling his own grief.” He tried not to react as Danny slowly lifted his head to look at him as he continued.

“Every day he got angrier, every day he got more and more bitter that I was there where my mom wasn’t, and every day he spent resenting me was a day we could’ve spent supporting each other.” Vlad frowned as he looked down at his hands, subconsciously clenched in anger at the memory.

“And even though I understood why that was, even though deep down inside I knew that he cared, it didn’t make up for the fact that he wasn’t there for me when I needed him. From then on I decided that I would never, ever forgive him for that, and that I would grow up to be nothing like him.”

A sigh left Vlad as dragged his hands across his face tiredly.

“And even though I have failed _remarkably_ in that later regard, I’m not going to make that same mistake with you, little badger. I can’t promise I’ll be good at it, or that I won’t mess up, but I will try.

“I’m not going to leave you alone.”

Danny shook as the words hit him like a truck, overwhelmed by the sense of relief he felt just hearing those words. All of the distress left his body with a sigh of relief as he settled down more comfortably onto the couch, the two of them looking at the fireplace in silence.

As the crackling of firewood filled the room, for the first time in what felt like forever, Danny allowed himself to feel hopeful.

xXxXx

There were some days however, when things got to be a little much even for Vlad.

It'd been a difficult day, endless meetings and paperwork what with Vlad trying to finalize the last of his term as mayor, finally trying to put that part of his life behind him. _Besides, some more time to spend with Daniel would be good for both of them._ Going on as though nothing had happened, as though everything was normal didn't feel right.

He was getting a little tired of the same old mayor shtick anyway. There were only so many letters of financial approval, grand openings, and meetings one could take before they felt like they'd been through the ringer eleven times over.

It was time Vlad let that part of his life go, for both of their sakes.

Sitting up from his office chair with a huff, Vlad left the room and found himself mindlessly wandering the depths of his castle, something he got in the habit of doing every now and then.

With a home as large as his, one often forgot the extent of the rooms and instruments at their disposal. It was often that Vlad stumbled upon something or other that he hadn’t thought about in months.

Though it did nothing but solidify how empty his “home” truly felt...

Walking down what was beginning to feel like an endless hallway, Vlad flinched as he realized where his mindless strolling had taken him. He stood in front of the door motionless for a while, all sorts of memories flooding in.

Jack’s boisterous voice disrupting the dead air in the room like a pot clattering to the floor, Maddie’s own twinkling laughter chiming in.

Endless blueprints, ideas, and concepts for Vlad to be privy to, to prepare himself for.

The hallway to the boy’s room, where he’d heard him laugh, cry, and scream when the situation called for it. Be it in reply to his parents' questionings, in disregard of his sister, whatever the case may be.

A heavy feeling overwhelmed Vlad as he reached for the doorknob, slowly pushing inside with the demeanor of someone stood where they shouldn’t be.

Vlad scoffed at himself, almost feeling silly for his hesitation, _This is my own room, my own home. I have every right to—_

He sighed heavily as that feeling of discomfort only intensified. _No, I don’t have- I_ **_didn’t_ ** _have any right to do what I did.. to spy on them._

The cameras having long since been removed by now, given that there was really no use for them anymore.

Vlad moved to sit in the chair seated in front of all sorts of monitors of all shapes and sizes before a hand once again came up to his head, trying again without success to massage the headache from his temples.

He shuddered as he was hit with memory after memory of the things he’d seen on these very monitors. Shared kisses between Jack and Maddie that had driven Vlad to rage, (but would now be something he would give anything to see.) Unorthodox cooking sessions between the Fenton’s on Thursday’s when Jazmine’s after school clubs finished up early and Daniel could finally be bothered to come downstairs.

Danny preparing for his first and last high school dance with his friends and family. Danny’s first time baking a cake. Danny’s dedication to space and everything involved with it.

All moments he never should’ve been privy to in the first place, but was thankful he had.

Or, he would be, if the memories weren’t accompanied by everything else that’d gone _wrong._

Burying his face in his hands as the feeling continued to overwhelm him, only a single thought rang through his mind.

“ _God.. I need a drink”_

xXxXx

“Vlad?”

Danny roamed the hallways himself for a while, trying to ignore his underlying concern and focus on the task at hand while he searched for the older halfa.

Despite becoming just the slightest bit closer after their various heart to hearts the past few weeks, it still wasn’t as if he and Vlad were best buddies or anything of the sort.

But it wasn’t like the other man to miss dinner, especially not since they had started sharing meals and eating together.

So, Danny decided he should at least check up on him and look for him because one, he was just that nice of a guy, and two,

He...missed him, if only a little.

It was hard, to go from having so many to no one to…possibly someone again.

Danny continued down a section of the seemingly endless hallways in Vlad’s mansion before a crashing sound caught his attention.

Followed by another, and another…

Danny blanched before speeding up, trying to think of what could possibly be causing that ruckus and concerned for Vlad’s safety when he finally reached the spare room at the end of the hall, the door slightly ajar.

He jumped as he edged into the room, welcomed by the sound of sparking wires and what could only be Vlad’s sorry attempts at cursing, various pastries leaving his lips as the older man sat in the midst of the wreckage.

While the whole room was in an extreme state of disarray, pictures torn from their frames and curtains ripped from the windows and strewn about, the most prominent thing had to be the pile of completely decimated monitors and other devices right at its center.

And the most concerning was the glimpse of Vlad’s hands, torn and bleeding, littered with glass.

“Vlad? Are..are you—?”

Danny flinched at the all too familiar look he received in response, cold and icy in a way that made him shut his mouth immediately, but not as unyielding as it usually was. No, something about Vlad seemed unsteady, unbalanced.

He’d known Vlad was prone to…tantrums, easily overcome by his emotions and without access to any sort of emotional outlet, but this was..

Danny jumped at the sound of the other man’s laugh, sharp and potent in the same way it was in his nightmares, when Vlad _Plasmius_ and what he was going to eat that morning had been his biggest concerns.

He’d give anything to go back to that life.

“And just what do you think _you’re_ doing here, Daniel?”

Maybe not then, not when Plasmius spoke in that icy, cutting way that made Danny weak in the knees and nervous.

“I was just..”

“Just what, coming here to revel in my despair perhaps? Kick a man when he’s down, hm?”

Danny allowed himself to feel insulted, “What the _hell_ are you talking about?” he snapped in frustration before he caught a glimpse of what Vlad held in his hands, eying the bottle wearily before returning his gaze to the older man’s now scowling face.

“You did always like doing that didn't you...shoving my loneliness in my face whenever it suited you. Like it's some kind of joke, I bet you're loving this right now."

Any guilt Danny could've possibly felt at that dried up at the insinuation that Vlad was the one who'd lost the most in this situation.

"How could I love _anything_ about this?!"

Vlad continued on as though he'd heard nothing, and maybe he hadn't, "Always taunting me and rejecting me, always pushing me away!"

"Are you even hearing yourself right now? How am I the one who--"

“What a _waste_ of time!” Vlad said scathingly, “What a complete and utter _disappointment_ Daniel.” 

"You and your mother, picking that bumbling buffoon over me, the man who _murdered_ me, murdered _us_! Too stupid to realize everything he's done, Maddie too foolish to reject him and come with me, to protect _you_!"

Danny did everything in his power to ignore the pit in his stomach those words had caused as he countered Vlad's words pleadingly, "How could you possibly _still_ be feeling this way!? I figured you'd never get over it under normal circumstances, but they aren't even _here_ anymore Vlad!"

And it hurt to say that, a lot actually, but it was true. He'd just never said it out loud until now, never really affirmed it to himself, but they all were, weren't they? Gone.

Danny felt nauseous as the older man continued.

"And that's exactly the point Daniel!" Vlad yelled angrily.

“Do you think I _like_ feeling this way?! I spent two decades chasing after a woman that would never love me and now I’m—“ Vlad felt his eyes widen in horror as his hands came up to cover his mouth.

“What...now you’re what Vlad?”

The older man shook his head softly, looking down at the floor ashamed, sobriety returning to him in waves as he realized what he'd just been doing. All of the things he'd just been _saying_. Danny felt his blood boil when Vlad refused to answer him.

“What. And now you’re _stuck_ with me? You’ve spent two decades chasing after my mom and now you’re just _stuck_ with me!?” He barely registered the confusion on the other man’s face as Vlad's eyes shot up to look at him, words driven by self loathing as he continued, furious, “Stuck with broken, useless _Danny Phantom_ , self proclaimed _failure_ of Amity Park? Too stupid to pass the C.A.T, too foolish to know what would happen, too _weak_ to save his friends and family!?”

Vlad felt his jaw drop at the anger in Danny’s voice, too afraid to admit that he’d been about to say the exact opposite. He felt sick as he registered the self loathing in the other's tone. All of that anger, the mountain of guilt underneath every word. How could he have just yelled at this boy? For things completely and utterly out of his control no less? How long had he been holding this all in, as Vlad tore into him so carelessly? He reached out to grab the other’s arm as he turned away from him, just wanting Danny to listen, just hoping he’d understand that he..

“Daniel that’s not what I...I would never—“

“Then what, what were you going to say?” Danny said baring his teeth, enraged when he turned to see Vlad continuing to shake his head, refusing to even look at the other as he kept his gaze on the floor between them. Danny laughed, a bitter, humorless thing as he looked at the man standing across from him. “All that talk and _now_ you’re quiet.” Danny finally spat, pulling his arm out of Vlad’s grip before walking away, slamming the door shut behind him as he left the room.

_So much for not making the same mistake with him_ , Vlad thought bitterly, watching the other stomp out of the room as he got his bearings.

Danny felt tears prick at his eyes as he made his way up to the next floor, shaking as he slipped into one of the guest bedrooms, knowing it’d be a while before Vlad shook himself out of his semi drunken state and found him there. Danny curled up on the cool silken sheets and for the first time in months cried, weeks of repressed grief coming out of him in a tidal wave.

Along with his grief came anger, anger at himself, angry at Vlad for what he’d said. The rambling on and on about how lonely he was, as if somehow that had been Danny’s fault. As if, in some insane parallel universe, Danny was meant to disown the man that’d loved and raised him all his life for a man he’d just met that day. 

How could Vlad say those things? Be so angry even now? When there wasn’t even anybody left to be angry _with_?

How he’d felt he’d wasted all this time chasing after his mother just to— Danny felt something inside him snap as the words washed over him again

That was the last straw. Danny could handle everything else, the guilt, the weight on his shoulders, the feelings of worthlessness and self loathing and _hate_ that permeated every hour and every square inch of his day. But Vlad, his archenemy, considering everything they’d been through a waste of time? Being _disappointed_ in him?

“ _What a complete and utter_ **_disappointment_ ** _Daniel.”_

Danny felt his teeth grinding in his skull at the thought. Vlad felt like he was stuck with Danny, had spent all of his years trying to get Maddie and ended up with her _fuck up_ of a son instead. 

Danny couldn’t tell who he was angrier at as he threw himself off of the bedsheets and into the hallway with a dark frown, mind racing. 

Yeah, Vlad was a selfish bastard and a prick for all of the shit he’d just said to Danny, but come to think of it, he hadn’t really been wrong, huh? Danny _was_ a disappointment, just not _Danny Fenton_ Danny. 

No, _Danny Fenton_ Danny was the exact amount of failure he was meant to be, mediocre and below average in ways that served to do nothing but hurt when he thought about it too long. 

_Danny Phantom_ was where the problems came in, where the abhorrent standards came from. Danny _Phantom_ was the one meant to save the day, the one who’d failed to do so, the one who Vlad had once wanted and now hated. 

Life had been so much easier before his ghost powers changed everything, before they’d _taken_ everything from him. 

He’d give anything to take it back. 

...And that was a thought now, wasn’t it, taking it back. Taking it _out..._

He barely even realized where his body had taken him until he found himself standing over Vlad in the room they’d last been in. Seems like he hadn’t been able to pull himself together just yet after all. 

Scoffing Danny reached down and pulled the older man up by his suit jacket, eyes burning into Vlad’s own slate blue as he stared into them. 

This was the man that had made Danny’s life _hell_ , left him bruised and aching in the late hours of the night and anxious and paranoid in the early light of the morning. This man had the _audacity_ to consider Danny a disappointment, after _everything_. 

Of _course_ he’d betray him like this, of _course_ he hadn’t changed.

And here Danny had thought that maybe, just maybe, things could’ve been better. 

He owed Danny, he definitely owed Danny a lot more than _this_. Danny was going to make him go through with this if it killed him. 

“I want you to remove my ghost half.” 

If only they’d known what they were getting into. 

…

“And now I’m in love with you..” Vlad murmured bitterly, finally strong enough to say it and a hundred years too late.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for making it this far!! I really wasn't sure how I felt about this chapter but I wanted to get it posted and keep things moving, please let me know what you thought of it, comments and kudos are really really appreciated


	3. After

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> How far Vlad is willing to go to make things right and how much it's not what he expected it to be.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Things are finally looking up for Vlad, at least for now lol. Thanks for being so patient and encouraging about the next chapter, your comments mean the world to me!! I hope you enjoy :') And a big thank you to @JJCross for being my beta and helping me out with this!! <3

“What would you give to undo what’s been done?” 

“Anything, anything at all. My money, my power, my life for Danny, if you so asked it. I would do anything in the world to make it up to that boy, to save him from what I and all others have done to him. My deepest regret is that I hadn’t realized this sooner.” 

“Your life you say?”

“My life and all else that has come with the life that I’ve lived, if that’s what is necessary.” Vlad said, meaning every word. 

“And if I asked you if you were prepared to lose your life, but only as you know it, as you _lived_ it? Would you be willing to do it all over again, Vlad Masters?” Clockwork questioned, not unkindly. Cautiously, but never unkind. That simply wasn’t the kind of ghost Clockwork was or ever would be. 

“When I say anything, I do truly mean anything. I would be grateful even, to be able to do it all over, to be the kind of person I know I could’ve been to Danny.”

Clockwork gave him a onceover before he paused, a thought seemingly crossing his mind as he threw his head back with a laugh. Vlad looked at him in confusion as he continued on, as if uninterrupted. 

“If you’re certain about that Vladimir Masters, then it shall be done.” 

The timeless ghost reached into his lavender cloak with a secretive smile, reaching out for Vlad’s arm before gently securing a watch to the man’s wrist. 

Vlad’s eyes widened as the watch came to life, the hands of its clock face constantly twisting and turning, glowing in a spectral blue light. 

“This should allow you a bit more... _flexibility_ than what I can typically offer. This is a task worthy of a little rule bending, I suppose.”

Vlad found himself mesmerized by the mystical device, momentarily forgetting to question its purpose just then.

“You certainly have a flair for dramatics.” Vlad breathed, heart stuttering in his chest at the realization of what the other ghost was about to do for him. 

“Don’t we all?” Clockwork asked simply before another small smile cracked his cool facade. “I thought you of all people would understand the value of a little dramatics, _Vladimir_.” 

_This must be how Danny felt,_ Vlad thought to himself with a snort before a somber mood came over him. 

“If I do this, everything will go back to normal?” 

“Define normal.” 

Vlad scowled sharply, “Oh I don’t know, maybe he’ll be _alive_ for starters?” 

Clockwork sighed tiredly, “I’m afraid Danny was always destined to be half alive; so that’s about as much as I can promise you.” He looked up and soothed Vlad’s concerns with a gentle grin then, “But yes, if you are to succeed, you’re sure to find the outcome more than acceptable compared to now.”

Despite his worries being assuaged, Vlad frowned; he didn’t want to think about _now_ ever again. And hopefully, he wouldn’t have to. 

The thought filled him with relief.

“Alright then Clockwork, show me how—“ 

Vlad’s mouth dropped when a portal opened up behind him, the energy at his back immense and overwhelming. He couldn’t stop himself from staring over his shoulder in awe. 

The surface of it looked like water, flowing and rushing and continuously timeless, blues and purples and pinks warping around one another in rapid succession. It was one of the most beautiful things Vlad had ever seen, flaring bright with Clockwork’s ectosignature.

A stark reminder at what the other was capable of, and here he was, helping _Vlad_ of all people. Vlad found himself humbled— 

His admiration was interrupted by Clockwork pushing him inside the portal with a playful shove. 

“I can’t let you have all the fun now, can I?” 

Vlad yelled indignantly as his body slipped into the time stream, turning his head back just in time to see the other’s grin before it all went black, his consciousness his only remaining sense. 

_Oh, I most certainly will be finding a way to pay him back for that when this was all over,_ he thought to himself before he fully succumbed to the flow of time. 

**_______________**

Cold was the first thing Vlad registered, followed by the sensation of feeling like he’d been hit by a truck. A loud groan left him as his hands shot up to his head, eyes gingerly shuddering open. 

“Where in the world..” he murmured to himself as his senses gradually came back to him. A cool wind, battering at the exposed skins of his wrists, nose and ears aching, fingers stiff. Vlad had never done well in the cold despite his family origins and a childhood in Wisconsin; neither of those had done him any favors.

He could hear a few cars passing by, along with groups of young voices and laughter. Vlad squinted some more as his vision fully came into focus.

Finally he registered the fact that he was sitting. Sitting on a rickety old park bench in nothing but an old jacket. He rubbed his head as he continued to take in his surroundings. 

A few corner stores here and there lining the sidewalk, a run-down playground behind him, Vlad’s head craned to the left, and a high school just up the road. 

Vlad blanched as he finally realized where he was. 

“Amity Park..? But that’s...” 

Exactly where he needed to be, he realized, bits and pieces of his most recent conversation gradually flooding in. 

He groaned as he slid off of the bench, body aching as he straightened himself out and looked around, noting the amount of kids walking home from school. Afternoon then… 

For a moment, Vlad wondered if impaired vision was a side effect of time travel. _But it’s not necessarily blurry…_ he thought to himself, _just...different somehow. I wonder if—_

 _“_ Watch it, _nerd_!” a larger blonde barked as he pushed past Vlad, almost knocking him off his feet in the process, retreating fast enough to miss the other’s scathing glare. “ Who does that insolent brat think he—!” Vlad paused for a moment, only now fully processing what he had been called.. _.nerd_?

_I haven’t been called that since..._

Eyes widening, Vlad hurried down the sidewalk until he reached a store window, running up to the glass nervously. 

And felt his stomach drop to the floor when he took in his own reflection. 

“Oh _no…”_ Vlad breathed out in horror, taking in the sight of himself and yet someone he hadn’t seen in maybe thirty years. Lengthy dark hair curling behind his ears, not quite the mullet it would eventually become in his college years, but certainly getting there. 

Big restless blue eyes and light eyelashes, a long nose, Vlad felt he looked just as awkward now as he had three decades ago. _You have_ **_got_ ** _to be kidding me…._

“Butter biscuits..” he hissed, reaching a hand up to run his fingers through his loose mop of hair. “When Clockwork talked about giving up my life as I knew it, I didn’t think he’d meant _this.”_

How was he going to survive like this? He’d felt lost enough going back to before as his usual self, much less reenacting one of the most unconfident, uncomfortable, and downright miserable eras of his life. 

_“God, what am I going to do? Where could I even…How could he do this to me—!?”_ Vlad felt like screaming at the top of his lungs when he remembered the way the other had thrown his head back to laugh— 

_At my_ **_expense_** _,_ he thought sourly, trying to ignore the twist in his gut at seeing himself this way. 

Groaning to himself in frustration, Vlad finally turned away from the store window and into the second person that day, throwing his hands up in the air when this time he did wind up flat on his ass. “Oh I’ve _had_ it! Is it really so hard t-to…?” he blinked as a sheepish hand came into view. Lifting his gaze, Vlad’s eyes widened as he realized just who exactly he’d bumped into. 

“Sorry! Sorry, are you okay?” 

Vlad felt every ounce of the dread he’d been feeling for the past few months leave him in one breath. Seeing Danny like this, _alive_ and well and kind and _here_ , bumping into him and physically, really _here_. 

Some silly, neglected part of him longed to grab onto the boy and never let go. Craved the weight of him, the feel of him under his hands, in his arms and _safe_. 

All of Vlad’s uncertainty left him for a moment as he took him in. Same light hearted voice, same big blue eyes, same delicate hands. Seeing him now, it was so easy. Giving Danny his all and being a better man for him was going to be so easy if it felt like this. 

This was everything he could ever possibly hoped for, this was—

“ _Danny!”_

“How many times do I have to tell you and Tucker to knock it off until we get to your house? You guys are constantly bumping into people!” Sam huffed as she and another teen came up to the two of them.

Vlad shook himself out of his thoughts as a familiar annoyance settled in him at the sight of the two, having not missed _her_ at all. He couldn’t help but feel grateful however, for how mundane this all felt, at least compared to how things had turned out. 

“I know, I know! I’m sorry dude, let me help you up.” 

Looking back at Danny, Vlad felt something in himself soften as he took his hand, gently pulling himself up with the other’s help. 

“It’s fine. Thanks.” Vlad said quietly, confused by Danny’s intensity as he continued to stare him down. 

“Do I..know you?” Danny asked finally, watching as the other leaned down to dust off his jeans. 

Ignoring the tightening in his chest caused by the words,Vlad answered truthfully, “I don’t think so, no.” 

“Not to be weird but, are you even from around here?” Tucker spoke up, looking over Vlad curiously. “Amity Park is pretty small. Casper High is the only high school and I don’t think I’ve seen you around there before.”

Vlad blanched, realizing he hadn’t quite come up with an alibi just yet. “No I just…arrived a few days ago. Staying with a distant relative for a while.” He fibbed quickly. Now that he’d thought about it, where _would_ he even be staying?

Too caught up in thought to notice Tucker’s response, he turned to see Danny giving him the same odd look, staring at him for a moment before being pulled along by his friends. 

“Cmon Danny, video games to play, horror movies to watch!” 

Vlad was surprised to see Danny looking almost resistant to leave. 

“Don’t let me keep you,” Vlad said finally, taking everything in him not to question Danny’s unwavering stare. “I’ll see you around, probably.” 

Danny shook himself out of his staring with a nod. “Sorry again! For bumping into you,” he said finally, allowing himself to be pulled away by his friends. 

Vlad watched him continue down the street for a while longer before turning away, trying to swallow down the ache in his chest the encounter had caused.

**_______________**

“Distant relative huh?” 

Vlad jumped as he continued down the sidewalk, frowning sharply at the man at his side that seemed to have popped up out of nowhere. 

“And why does that concern _you_?” Vlad asked, trying to gauge just who in the hell had managed to sneak up on him. 

“A lot I’d say, considering I’m going to be the one filling the role.” Clockwork grinned, flashing his gap at the now much younger man. Vlad paused as they turned right at a stop sign. 

Vlad gave the man a once over, taking in warm brown eyes and aged white hair on a surprisingly young face. Freckled with a gap between his front teeth. His gaze fell lower, observing the man’s attire. 

A suit Vlad likely would’ve killed for not too long ago, fit and tailored to perfection. But lavender was definitely not his color. And who in their right mind still carried around a _pocket_ watch of all things—!

“ _Clockwork._ ” Vlad hissed angrily, “what is the meaning of this! Why am I—?” 

He scoffed when the elder jokingly handed him a hand mirror, seeing his miserable frown even clearer as he took in his appearance. 

“Well, I’m sure you didn’t think you’d be able to get close to Danny as your usual self now, did you?” 

“I suppose so.” Vlad grumbled, heat beginning to rise to his cheeks as an all too familiar discomfort began to come over him “But did you have to make it so…”

“Accurate?” Clockwork hummed, smiling.

“Enough! I can already feel the hormonal teenage delusions coming on.” A laugh that time, good for him. 

“Now, what's this about being a distant relative?” 

**_______________**

“You will go to school, participate in some of Danny’s classes, and do your best to befriend him in order to provide him with someone to rely on.” Clockwork said simply, sitting across from Vlad at what used to be his dining room table. 

“Sounds easy enough...but—“

“In the meantime, I will be the one looking after your humble estate.” Clockwork answered knowingly, smiling when Vlad looked back at him, miffed. “You’ll be able to partake in school with Danny, and return here whenever it suits you.” 

Vlad picked at the sleeve of his jacket apprehensively, suddenly finding the task ahead incredibly daunting. 

“Thought you’d at least appreciate the jacket.” 

Blinking in surprise, Vlad looked down at himself curiously. His eyes widened in recognition as he properly took in the colors there. 

A vintage packers jacket, well worn and comfortable, decked out in the all too familiar green and yellow that Vlad had grown to love over the years. 

The corner of his mouth pulling up in a small smile, Vlad’s hands ran over the fabric appreciatively before he turned back to the other ghost. 

“I’m...nervous.” Vlad finally admitted, figuring a bit of vulnerability could be warranted here. Even if it took a lot out of him to be. 

“About?” 

_Everything_ , Vlad wanted to say, about fixing things, about screwing up a second chance he felt he nowhere near deserved. About being there, for Danny. What that would be like, if he was even capable…

“A lot of things.” He settled for instead, keeping the full brunt of his feelings to himself. Clockwork had already done more than enough for him, there was no need to trouble the ancient with Vlad’s childish insecurities. 

They’d be there all day if Vlad spilled even an ounce of the things that concerned him on a daily basis.

He jumped when a hand reassuringly brushed through his hair. 

“I wouldn’t have given you this opportunity if I didn’t think you’d be capable of the task ahead of you, Vladimir.” Clockwork said gently, watching the way the younger melted into the contact like a flower grazing sunlight, and feeling some part of himself ache for him. 

Vlad needed this, a chance at something good, something better. He felt he’d more than earned it by now. 

“It’ll be fine.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Thanks for making it this far!! I really hope it was worth the wait lol, hopefully I'll have more worked out soon now that everything is pretty set up. Have a wonderful day!!

**Author's Note:**

> Thank you for making it this far!! This’ll hopefully be my first multi chaptered fic that I actually follow through with, but please leave a comment or kudos so I can gage interest and see if anybody even wants me to continue this fic lol, the feedback is really appreciated.


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